FROM BICYCLE MOBILITY TOVELOMOBILITY

an epistemological and taxonomic proposal for Brazil

Abstract

 This article provides a theoretical-conceptual review of bicycle mobility in Brazil, examining the formation of this field of study, terminological polysemy, and discursive disputes. Through etymological and historical analyses informed by the archaeology of knowledge, it demonstrates that the adoption of the roots ciclo- and bici- in Portuguesespeaking countries has generated a proliferation of terms, such as ciclomobilidade, ciclabilidade, and cicloviário, without precise definitions or distinctions. The bibliometric study analyzed 154 references (62 articles, 78 academic works, and 14 municipal plans) catalogued on the SciELO Brasil, Capes, and Mobilidados platforms between 2014 and 2024. The sample revealed that the terminological diversity found in Brazilian literature stems from literal translations of foreign terms, social practices, and cycling activism, whose contributions do not resolve the field’s theoretical-conceptual gap. The results indicate the predominance of technical and regulatory language centered on infrastructure, which neglects scientific, political, social, cultural, and technological dimensions. Using a taxonomic approach, the article proposes organizing, developing, and validating knowledge on bicycle mobility in Brazil. It concludes that more bicycle-friendly, sustainable, and just cities depend on establishing Velomobility as an epistemological category and a complex sociotechnical system that inseparably integrates hardware, software, and orgware into urban territorial management.